After weeks of mass protests, the state media reports that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has stepped down as president.
As opposition to his history of being president of over 20 years grew, Mr Bouteflika has dropped plans to run for a fifth term. He suffered a stroke six years ago and has rarely made a public appearance since.
Everybody is seen to be clearly happy with the announcement as people are celebrating all over the capital, Algiers, as car horns can be heard all over. People have taken to the streets with the Algerian flag and singing songs.
The news of Mr Bouteflika’s resignation first appeared in a statement carried on APS, the state news agency. It said, “The president of the Republic, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has officially notified the president of the constitutional council of his decision to end his mandate as president of the republic”.
“God willing, we will have a democratic transition, this is very important. We need to remove the whole previous regime, and that is the hardest thing,” Selmaoui Seddik told Reuters.
Before the announcement, Mustapha Bouchachi, one protest leader also said that any decision by Mr Bouteflika to quit would still change nothing and that protests would continue irrespective.
But meanwhile, the Senate leader would take over as head of state until elections are held and a new leader takes over.
It all came about since March, where tens of thousands protested across the country in response to Mr Bouteflika’s announcements that he would be standing for a fifth term. And besides the masses, leaders have also rejected Mr Bouteflika’s offer, protesting that this term ends his reign as Algerian president.
“There is no more room to waste time,” Lt Gen Ahmed Salah said on Tuesday supporting his resignation as president.
